NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – A South Florida family was rescued Tuesday morning after their home went up in flames.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the fire was reported around 8 a.m. at the home on Northwest 13th Avenue in North Miami.
"When our units arrived, they found smoke coming from the front of the house," Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Kirsten Miller said.
Officials said seven people were inside the home when it caught fire. Four of the residents couldn't get out on their own, keeping them trapped inside the smoke-filled home.
"Some of the people were still in the bedrooms, trapped inside," Miller said. "Our first unit's priority was to get the victims out of the home."
Sky 10 was above the scene as emergency crews worked to remove the bars from the windows as smoke poured out of the home.
Officials said no one was seriously injured and needed to be taken to the hospital thanks in part to an immediate call to 911 and a fast emergency response.
But it all leaves an important lesson to be learned about safely evacuating a home during a fire and knowing how to remove safety bars.
"If they don't have the self-evacuating mechanism, get the security bars with the self-evacuating mechanism and know how to use it," Miller said.
The fire caused extensive damage to the home.
Officials said the Red Cross has been alerted to help the family out.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.